This patent is directed to an anesthetic container, and, in particular, to an anesthetic container with a quality control improvement.
Many forms of anesthetic are stored as a liquid for later use in their vapor state. The liquid form is more compact for storage, and can be converted through the use of a vaporizer, where the liquid form is allowed to convert into its vapor state in a controlled environment. Typically, the storage device is a container including a bottle with an opening that has been occluded through the use of a cap and/or a valve.
It will be recognized that the cooperation between the valve and the bottle is of significant importance in maintaining the liquid anesthetic in the container. If the cap or valve and the bottle do not have a fluid-tight seal (whether that fluid be a liquid or a vapor), the liquid anesthetic may escape from the container. This situation is to be avoided because the escaping product may represent a potential hazard for those persons in the immediate area around a leaking container. Moreover, if the anesthetic is leaking from the container, it may not be possible to accurately determine the amount of anesthetic remaining in the bottle, leading to other issues. Lastly, the leakage of product from the container may represent a financial loss.
To limit the possibility that a leaking container will be distributed, testing is typically performed at the facility where the containers are filled. In particular, a vacuum test may be performed on each container before it leaves the facility. According to the conventional vacuum test protocol, a container is placed in a chamber, and the air in the chamber is evacuated to approximately 8 pounds per square inch (psi) in approximately 6 seconds. The system is then permitted to stabilize for 2-3 seconds. After the stabilization period, the pressure in the chamber is measured for 6 seconds, and any vacuum decay within the chamber is taken as an indication that gas from the bottle has escaped into the chamber, resulting in a pressure rise within the chamber.
It has been determined, however, that this testing method results in significant a number of false rejects. A false reject occurs when the vacuum test suggests that a container is leaking when, in actuality, the container is fluid-tight. The rate of identification of false rejects may be in excess of 300% when viewed on a relative basis to the number of actual rejects (i.e., containers that actually are not fluid-tight). Still, the vacuum test remains a widely used test, given its simplicity which permits its use with the significant numbers of containers that are filled on a daily basis.
As set forth in more detail below, the present disclosure sets forth an improved assembly embodying advantageous alternatives to the conventional devices and methods discussed above.